The Co-operative Spirit awards recognizes and celebrates both individual and organizational commitment and contribution to the co-operative movement and to the social, environmental and economic well-being of the province.

Since their inception in 1999, close to 130 individuals and organizations have received a Spirit Award from the Ontario Co-operative Association. View the full list of past recipients, or check out the archived videos of past winners.

2021 Spirit Awards

We are thrilled to announce our 2021 Spirit Award recipients, Sara Bertens and St. James Town Community Co-operative (SJT)! Please view the media release (below) to learn more about them. The Spirit Awards were presented at the OCA virtual Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, September 21, 2021, during which time Sara and Josephine Grey, who accepted the award on behalf of SJT, were recognized for their incredible passion and contributions to the Ontario co-operative movement. Check out the You Tube video of the short ceremony below!

Nomination Process

The awards are generally held every two years but nominations are always open. Nominators can be individuals or organizations (i.e., Ontario co-operatives, credit unions, caisses populaires, or sector organizations and their staff, board or volunteers) that are Members or Members of Member Organization (MOMO) of the Ontario Co-operative Association. Nominators can submit nominations in more than one category. Recipients are chosen by a selection panel, consisting of at least three individuals who are familiar with Ontario’s co-operative sector, and who are not OCA staff.

If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Ross at [email protected] or at 888.745.5521 x 22.